Over 700 new HIV cases recorded in June

MANILA, Philippines - More than 700 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) were recorded in June, 56 percent higher than the number of cases recorded in the same period last year.

The Department of Health (DOH)’s HIV/AIDS Registry showed a record high 772 new HIV/AIDS cases nationwide, way above the 494 cases recorded during the same period last year.

Of the 772 new cases, 33 have progressed to full-blown AIDS while 62 died due to infection.

Based on the latest data, the number of HIV/AIDS cases being diagnosed daily also went up from 21 in May to 22 in June.

DOH noted that the number of HIV/AIDS cases has risen significantly from one case a day in 2008 to four cases per day in 2010 then to nine cases per day in 2012 and to 17 cases per day in 2014.

DOH also reported that 95.46 percent of the cases recorded in June were acquired through sexual transmission, mostly from the men-having-sex-with-men sector which accounted for 661 cases or 87 percent. 

Homosexual contact accounted for 393 cases, while bisexual contact resulted in 268 cases. Heterosexual contact resulted in 76 cases.

Eight new cases involved injecting drug use, while 64 cases were overseas Filipino workers.

Over one-third or 38 percent of the new HIV cases in June came from the National Capital Region (NCR) followed by 124 or 16 percent from Calabarzon. The regions of Davao and Central Luzon came in third with eight percent of the cases.

There are now 3,929 confirmed HIV cases recorded from January to June. Of the total cases recorded in the first half of the year, 238 developed into AIDS cases and 156 died.

Since 1984, 26,456 HIV cases were recorded in the country, including 2,287 AIDS cases and 1,274 deaths.